Two families from Glendale drove to the Antelope Valley, with a picnic lunch, one Sunday in November 1928. To their great disgust there was a cold wind blowing and no place could be found for a picnic so they ate their lunch in the car.

   Farel and Helen Wycoff and their three small daughters and Helen's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Perry Temple, returned to their homes and Helen said "Anyone is crazy to live in that place."

   Farel and Dad had worked at Tropico Pottery in Glendale with two brothers, Judd and Clyde McCarrick who owned property in Pearland. After much discussion and a trip to the W.J. McAdam ranch a trade of our Colorado farm and a lot at Clear Lake, Calif. was made and in Sept. 1928, we moved to Palmdale.

   We built a two bedroom house on our 10 acre Pear orchard at 47th and S-8. Mom and Dad built on S-4 as did my sister and brotherin-law Roy and Audrey Swarts. We lived in Pearland until April 1939 when we leased the histories Pearland Hotel from Rosa Byrant, mother-in-law of Freddy Fehrensen.

   In May of 1939 we opened with a public dinning room. The demand for room and board was so great we filled our place with railroad men, and served breakfast and dinner family style for some time. Then after the war broke out we had every room filled with Army couples from Palmdale and Muroc as Edwards was then called. We still served breakfast and dinner to as many as 24 people daily.

   In 1944 when our lease was 'Jp, we were able to purchase the Hotel, with the help of our very good friends, Fred DeFrenn and Paul Schoeller.

   Our children read at the library that the wooden back part of the Hotel was shipped here on a flat car from Santa Monica around 1900. Sometime later it was moved back and the front of poured concrete was added. There was a well and a large storage tank on the bank of the property, we removed the storage tank. Q-10.

   The old brick school house over on 6th St. was being used as a laundry and pear packing shed was near the R.R. tracks on 6th St. The Massari filling station and cabins were just north of us on Sierra Hwy. The old Palmdale Inn was on the corner of Palmdale Blvd. and Sierra. We attended so many wonderful luncheons and parti s there when the Howard Bland's owned it.

   I worked for Mother Moore at her restaurant one summer. It was north of the Inn and had big dance hall where Duke and Slims T.V. Store is now. The wonderful times we had there.

   The many friends we had at the Drug Store on the northeast corner of Sierra Hwy. and E. Av.e Q-9. The Fehrensen's, Bob and Dora Wilkin are now in Huntington Beach, Bill and Berta Baker are now in Fullerton.

   Fred and Olga Alley had the Ford garage at Sierra and E. Ave.

   The wonderful friends we made here in those early days and so many of them are now gone. Bill and Ethel McAdam and family, Emery Kidd and Rosie Ann the wonderful teacher that started each of our girls in first grade and Joyce Paul the principal of Palmdale School from whom I learned so much while I served as a school trustee. The Paul Schoeller family, the Judge Loft family, the Lindsey and Gustine families were all dear friends and the Jim Bradfords, the Moultons, the Ritters, the Starksens, the Frahms and the McBrides. Among our first friends here were the Modest Sadlers, the Earl Joneses, the Charles Kennedys. We used to go to the Eli Munz Club dances at Lake Hughes along with most of the other young people of the Valley.

   Our girls grew up here and went all their school years at Palmdale and AVJUSH. They are married and have children and grand- children now.

   Betty and Al Morris live northeast of Palmdlae and have two daughters and five grandchildren. Virginia and her family live in Huntington Beach and Margaret and two babies lives in Palmdale.

   Shirley and Bob Hesselgrave, Roberta and Mike live in Palm- dale, Bob has worked at Edwards for 25 years.

   Pat and Dave Combs live in Santa Anal Two of their three children are married, Farel Jay, wife and baby girl live in Santa Ana, Sherri, husband and girl and baby boy live nearby in Tustin. Son Donald lives at home. They all make frequent trips to visit relatives and grandparents at the Hotel.

   Farel has never been much of a club or organization man, he belongs to V.F.W. and Fintand Feather Club. He loves to hunt and fish and paints for a hobby. He retired several years ago.

   I have always enjoyed and been active in Community Affairs, clubs, organizations and church. I helped organize and worked in U.S.O., Lilac Show Co-ordinating Council and YMCA. I worked for many years in P.T.A. and have been a Federated Club member of Palmdale since 1935 - active volunteer at Palmdale General Hospital.

   We have indeed seen many changes in Palmdale, we have all had our ups and downs. One recent project undertaken by Monnie Bunch and Committee is greatly appreciated. The fencing of the old Palmdale Cemetary is certainly worthy of praise. My father and my sister and brother-in-law are all buried there also many friends.

   My mother lives in Palmdale and will be 90 in Sept. 1971. She lives alone and does her own work. She is a member of Palmdale Woman's Club and an avid card player.

   Palmdale has been very good to us. We came when it was small, a small market and later two, a doctor and small hospital, one school with four teachers, but a great spirit of friendship and so many good times. A great feeling of Nostalgia has come over one remembering our 43 years in Palmdale. We have a wonderful town with many advantages we didn't have then. Palmdale has so many good things going for it now, I can only hope that some day it will reach the goal now set before it. Imagine an Inter- national Airport here, just hope we live to see that come about.

Sincerely,
Helen Wycoff